Life-preserver.



G. W. UPTON.

LIFE PRESERVERQ APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1. 191A.

1,269,982. Patented Julie 18, 1918.

onoaen'iw'urronor WARREN, OHIO.

I LIEE -PRESERV'ER.

' a lication filed June 1,1914. Serial No. 842,268.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that'I, Gnonen'WfUrron, a citizen of the United States of 'America, residing at Warren, in the county of Trumbull and-State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful- Improvements in Life- Preservers, of 'which *the following is a specification. v

This invention relates tor-improvements in devices for preventing persons from drowning, which devices have become generally known as life; preserversy-andis here in illustrated as embodied in a poleheavy at one end and buoyant at the other, though it may be solid, or a tube or flexible.

The objects of my invention are first, to provide a device that will assist a person to float in water in such a way as to keep the head above the surface; second, will enable a person to maintain a vertical position while in the water with feet "down and head up; third, to provide a life preserver that will be effective without adjustment or explanation, and fourth, one that will be cheap to make and require a minimum of room to store or carry on ships, boats, etc.

As heretofore constructed life preservers consist of implements lighter than water and made in the form of rings or floats to be attached to ones body, or be fastened thereabout: many of them require inflation or other preparation and all ordinarily require adjustment and the manipulation of straps or fasteners requiring time and forewarning.

For my invention any suitable construction and arrangement which will produce the same or an equivalent mechanical and physical result may be used.

Those objects and other features of the invention will be described in connection with an illustrative device and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the most simple form of my invention: Fig. 2 illustrates a modification and Figs. 3 and 4 illustrate addenda which may be used with convenience or for persons incapacitated by youth, age, sickness or other causes.

As the human body in full life is of less specific gravity than water, and will not sink unless the air be expelled therefrom, it will float so long as it can be held in such Specification of Letters Patent. -Pa,tente'd J 1 -18 "1918,

a position as to' keep the breathing apparatus-in the air and prevent! the expulsion ,of

the breath andua'ir'tln'erefromv and admittance of water into the. body in placethereof, as occurswhen the feet risel becauseau the body below .its normal centeriof gravlty 1s .lighter than water, .jand, in, consequence, the headagoesg downfand rund e'rithe water causing the lungs, toeject the. air

permlttlng water to enter the .r'nouth and nose.

Therefore -myinvention. consists in anap- -paratus having a lower part of specific gravity greater than that of water, attached to an upper part of specific gravity less than that of water and of buoyancy preferably more than enough to support the entire apparatus with its upper part at the surface of the water.

The lower part may be seized by or be attached to the feet of the user and the upper part may be manuallyv held or be attached to the upper part of the users body.

Similar characters refer to like parts throughout the several views in which A rod, 1, is attached at one end to a weight 2 whose specific gravity is greater than that of water, and at the other end to a float 3, whose specific gravity is less than that of water, and whose buoyancy is suflicient to overcome the tendency of the weight 2 to sink the apparatus as a whole.

Preferably the entire apparatus should have a buoyancy or lifting force something greater than the weight represented by that of the largest human body subtracted from the weight of the water that body will if submerged displace, as a factor of safety.

By clasping the rod 1 with the feet near or resting on the weight 2, and holding the rod 1 so the float 3 is near the face or slightly below it, the body will be held erect in the water: cannot sink and, with reasonable care, water can be kept from the nose and mouth: whereupon one can not drown while strength lasts to retain that position. In Fig. 2 I have shown a flexible connec tion between the weight 2 and the float 3. In Fig. 3 I have shown at 4, 4, means for binding or strapping the feet (as of an invalid, a child or an unconscious person) to the weight 2 and the upper trunk, chest, arms or neck to the float 3.

In Fig. 4 I have shown a basket or bag like receptacle 5 for the feet, and loops for the arms 7, with a band 6 for the body.

All manners of securing the human body to the float and weight'may be used without departing from my invention.

Wooden rods or tubes of any material or ropes, straps or cords may be used to connect the weight 2 to the float 3.

It will be seen at once that life preservers constructed in accordance with my invention will occupy a minimum of space; will always be ready for instant use and will be so cheap to make that not to have at hand many more than the number of passengers a ship may carry will be both inexcusable and unthought of; and that when people are beyond their depths'in water, or accidentally go overboard, my life preservers can be thrown quickly and far and in such quantities as to make their nonattainment practically impossible.

I claim:

1. In a life preserver, the combination of a buoyant member adapted to float vertically consisting of a middle, connecting element, a float at the upper end and a weight at the lower end with means at the top and bottom for attachment of the users arms or shoulders and feet respectively.

2. The combination in a life preserver of a buoyant member adapted to float vertically and consisting of a rod a float at the upper end and a weight at the lower end and capable of being retained in temporary attachment by and with the users arms and legs respectively.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

V GEORGE W. UPTON. Witnesses:

J. F. HAYES, M. G. SULLIVAN.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

